British heavy equipment manufacturer JCB has claimed another world land speed record, this time with a hydrogen-powered vehicle.
The JCB Hydromax achieved an average speed of 406.320mph across two runs on the Bonneville Salt Flats, becoming the fastest hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion vehicle of all time.
Although the record is still subject to final ratification by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the Hydromax’s speed far surpassed the previous hydrogen record holder.
The BMW H2R concept car reached 185.5mph in 2004, so the Hydromax easily surpassed the previous record laid down by the German manufacturer.
JCB also surpassed its own previous world diesel land speed record of 350.092mph, set by its own Dieselmax in August 2006.
Pushing speed boundaries again
Andy Green OBE was responsible for steering Hydromax to a new world record, The Wing Commander already has more than 20 years of land speed experience under his belt.
Green set the previous JCB Dieselmax record, and is the only person to break the sound barrier on land with the legendary Thrust SSC.
Following the record-breaking run, Green said: “Bonneville is the spiritual home of the world land speed record, and JCB Hydromax has just written itself into that history.
“The car was terrific – stable, strong and fast. Setting a world land speed record with hydrogen power, 20 years after Dieselmax, is a huge privilege. This record is a huge achievement by a world-class team and superb technology.”
A land speed record with zero emissions
Powering the Hydromax to its new world record was a pair of JCB’s own production-based hydrogen digger engines, manufactured at its factory in Foston, Derbyshire.
The four-cylinder hydrogen-fuelled units generate 800hp each, resulting in a combined output of 1,600hp – more than twice the amount available in the Dieselmax.
JCB Chairman Lord Bamford said: “Twenty years ago we came to Bonneville with JCB Dieselmax and showed what British engineering could do with diesel power. Today we have done it again — this time with engines powered by hydrogen.
“This record was set by production-based engines, the same engines powering JCB diggers right now. That is the point of JCB Hydromax: it shows hydrogen works, and it works today at the highest level with zero emissions.”
The record comes ahead of JCB’s opening of a new factory in San Antonio, Texas, set to employ 1,500 people to build machines for the US market.
ALSO READ:
Buy an Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio and get a free track driving course
